Wheaton Predicted to Win Women’s Basketball Title

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The women’s basketball coaches in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) picked Wheaton to defend its title in a poll released Wednesday by the CCIW conference office.

Wheaton earned 49 points, including seven first place votes to win the preseason poll. Illinois Wesleyan came in a close second with 41 points, including one first place vote. Millikin took third place in the poll with 34 points, while Carthage was fourth with 33 points.

North Central (22), North Park (20), Elmhurst (18) and Augustana (7) rounded out the 2006-07 preseason poll.

All voting in the women’s basketball poll was conducted by the eight head coaches in the CCIW. Each coach voted for the seven other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points were assigned in reverse order of voting (seven points for first, six for second, etc.). Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

The CCIW women’s basketball season begins Nov. 17 as Millikin hosts Marygrove. North Central, Illinois Wesleyan, Elmhurst and Wheaton will each host its own tournament, while North Park travels to the Lakeland College Tournament and Augustana travels to the Lake Forest Tip-Off. Carthage begins its season at Trinity International on Nov. 21.